Why Premature Grey Hair In Children Happens And Its Misconceptions

Grey hair in children may seem worrisome. However, these are the three main reasons why there is premature greying of hair.

The day before, Stephen, a good friend of mine was a bit preoccupied. He was not paying attention to what he was eating, so I asked what was wrong. Turns out, his 3-year-old daughter had a strand of grey hair. And that worried Stephen. This can be a natural reaction when you find your toddler had one gray hair or more. Greying of hair in children is not common, or so he thought.

If you’ve found that your toddler has one single gray hair, here’s what it could mean and why you shouldn’t freak out. We’ve listed reasons as to why your child’s hair is greying and also things that are not the cause of their grey hair.

Finding Out Your Toddler Has One Gray Hair: Premature Grey Hair In Children

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Stephen is not the only parent worried when seeing that their toddler has one gray hair or more. There are a lot of myths associated with grey hair in children and Stephen could not decide what to believe in. Thankfully, he decided to consult a doctor instead of believing in everything he heard.

When discovering your toddler has one gray hair or more, or even in adults, it is termed as canities. There are many types of canities, although broadly speaking, it is a loss of pigmentation in hair. So, the pigment melanin decreases or is absent in hair, causing grey or white hair.

Many different conditions cause greying of hair. However, the manifestations are different. Here are the three main categories/reasons why this happens:

1# Genetics

If you have had a premature greying of hair, chances are that your child will have that. Greying of hair is a hereditary condition that is passed on from the parents to the children. This is not an indicator of health. It just means that the hair is grey, that’s it! So if your toddler has only one gray hair or even a few more, don’t worry.

It is also seen as a patch in pigment disorder – vitiligo. In addition, it is seen in some less common conditions that run in the family, like tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis and Waardenburg syndrome. In such cases, there are many other symptoms besides greying of hair, so hair is the last thing a parent would be worried about.

2# Deficiencies

A deficiency of Vitamin B12, commonly associated with pernicious anaemia also causes premature greying of hair. This vitamin is found in animal products like fish, meat, milk, but is also fortified in cereal and other foods. A proper intake of this will correct the condition if you’re really worried after finding your toddler has one gray hair.

3# Endocrine disorders

Under or over functioning of the thyroid gland, causing hypo or hyperthyroidism may cause premature greying of hair. This is easily assessed by a blood test, and your paediatrician would be able to tell you more about it.

Things That Are Not The Reason Why Your Toddler Has One Gray Hair

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Greying of hair in children is seen in many conditions, however, most of them are rare. That said, there are some common misconceptions about the condition, and here are 3 things that do not cause greying of hair and are not related to why your toddler has one gray hair on their little head:

Stress. Thought stress in children should be rare, it isn’t so. However, this is not the cause of grey hair in children. That said, if you can help your child deal with stress, it will improve his concentration and performance at school and in life.
Heart conditions. A common myth suggests that greying of hair happens when there is a lack of blood supply to the scalp. And one of the reasons for this happening is an unhealthy heart. This is nothing but a myth, and if you find that your toddler has one gray hair, don’t be too stressed about his heart.
Lice: Lice and nit are common in children, especially in the school-going age. While it requires treatment, it is not a cause of grey hair in children.
Lack of hair oil. Hair oil is commonly used by South Asians. Not applying it may cause greying of hair according to a myth. This is nothing but a rumour, and dermatologists actually advise against the use of any hair oil.

So mums, if your child is healthy, growing normally but you find your toddler has one single gray hair, don’t freak out. It may be nothing. But if you still have your doubts about how your toddler has one gray hair, you should consult a doctor.

Also, read Walking pneumonia: A mum’s guide to dealing with it

Written by

Anay Bhalerao

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